Mandvi Kutch, Gujarat

Once a famous port and now an important tourist attraction in Kutch, Mandvi is one such place where one can expect sea, sand and sun. Mandvi is an old port town that has beaches, horse and camel rides along the shore. Mandvi was established as a port town in 1574 by Khengarji, the king of Kutch. The first landmark in the region was Sundarwar temple, followed by Jama Masjid in 1603, the Lakshminarayan Temple in 1607, the Kajivali Mosque in 1608 and the Rameshwar Temple in 1627. The presence of all these sites is a clear indicator of its importance to the state kingdom. Mandvi port was an important trading center until Mumbai came into the picture.

People who want to explore something unique can visit the bank of Rukmavati River, where they can see handmade wooden ships, stand at the Tower of Wagers, where once wealthy shipowner used to gather, awaiting the return of the trading fleet from East Africa, and bet on whose would arrive first. During the bygone era, Mandvi was protected with a fort that had 8 m high wall with gated and 25 bastions. Presently this wall is almost destroyed, but the bastion on the southwestern region is the largest and still acts as a lighthouse. Little away from the Mandvi beach is the Vijay Vilas Palace, which is now a resort and is known for its fantastic architecture. One should take a tour to all these places for a memorable trip in Mandvi.

Places where one can visit on a trip to Mandvi are:

• Vijay Vilas Palace: A beautiful palace turned into a resort, Vijay Vilas Palace was once the summer palace of Jadeja Rajas of Kutch.
• Swaminarayan Temple at Mandvi
• The Wind Farms Beach: Asia’s first Wind Mills Project running on the beach, founded in 1983.
• Rukmavati Bridge
• Topansar Lake: A tiny lake located in the heart of the city
• Shyamji Krishna Varma Smarak: A memorial made in honour of the famous scholar and freedom fighter, Shyamji Krishna Varma.
• Shitla Mata Temple: Located on Layja Road, it's a famous temple sacred to Shitla Mata
• Ashapura Mata Temple

How to Reach

By Roadways: Regular buses from the neighbouring towns are provided to reach Mandvi.

By Airways: Nearest airport is Rudra Mata Airport in Bhuj